Bild: Jobcenter Pays €20,000 for Driver’s License / Jobcenter zahlt 20.000 Euro für Führerschein
FAZ: Iran Attacks U.S. Military Bases in Qatar and Iraq / Iran greift US-Militärstützpunkte in Qatar und dem Irak an
Funke: More and More Berliners Rely on Bürgergeld Despite Working / Immer mehr Berliner trotz Arbeit auf Bürgergeld angewiesen
Handelsblatt: Klingbeil’s Record Debt / Klingbeils Schuldenrekord
RND: Trump Announces Ceasefire Between Israel and Iran – and an End to the War / Trump kündigt Waffenruhe zwischen Israel und Iran an – und ein Ende des Krieges
SZ: Iran Attacks U.S. Base / Iran greift US-Stützpunkt an
Tagesspiegel: Further Escalation Feared: Iran Attacks U.S. Military Bases in Qatar and Iraq / Weitere Eskalation befürchtet: Iran greift US-Militärbasen in Katar und Irak an
taz: Olaf’s Final Round / Olafs letzte Runde
Welt: How Damaged Are Iran’s Nuclear Facilities? / Wie beschädigt sind die iranischen Atomanlagen?
US President Donald Trump announces ceasefire between Israel and Iran: Trump wrote on Truth Social that the war, ongoing for twelve days, is to be ended with this ceasefire. According to Trump, the truce is set to begin on Tuesday morning. Iran will reportedly stop its attacks first, followed by Israel, and after 24 hours, the war should be over. Trump stated that both countries had agreed to the ceasefire and expressed confidence that both sides would adhere to the agreement, marking a definitive end to the „Twelve-Day War.“ welt.de, n-tv.de
US President Donald Trump „thanks“ Iran for advance warning before attack on US base: Trump described Iran’s retaliatory strike as „very weak.“ On Monday evening, Iran attacked US military bases in Qatar and Iraq. On Truth Social, Trump confirmed there had been a warning from Tehran and that no one was injured. He expressed hope that there would be no further hatred. „Perhaps Iran can now move toward peace and harmony in the region, and I will strongly encourage Israel to do the same.“ faz.net, handelsblatt.com, web.de
Chancellor Friedrich Merz expresses understanding for the attacks by Israel and the United States. He said he saw no reason to criticize what America had done. Personally, he also saw no reason to criticize what Israel had started a week ago. Merz acknowledged that the U.S. approach was not without risk. However, he added that leaving things as they were was also not an option, referring to Iran’s nuclear program. welt.de
- Chancellery Minister Thorsten Frei sees increased risks to U.S. facilities in Germany due to the attacks on Iran. However, security authorities would do everything they could to ensure the protection of American and Israeli facilities. The Interior Ministry does not see any immediate impact. t-online.de
- CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann said after internal party meetings that the CDU leadership did not share the regret over the U.S. attacks expressed by Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. He stated that advocating for a diplomatic solution while also supporting the U.S. and Israeli military strikes was not contradictory. spiegel.de
- Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul once again called on Iran to engage in direct talks with the United States. A negotiated solution was needed, he said ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels. EU Foreign Affairs Commissioner Kaja Kallas warned of the potential consequences of a possible Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
The German Air Force has flown more Germans out of Israel. A total of 179 passengers departed from Ben Gurion Airport aboard two Airbus military aircraft headed for Germany. The flights were made possible through close and short-term coordination with Israeli authorities.
NATO member states have already pledged €35 billion in military aid to Ukraine this year. This is proof that no one is losing sight of what is happening in Ukraine, said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte ahead of the summit in The Hague. Last year, the allies had provided aid worth around €50 billion.
At least eight people were killed in a Russian attack on the greater Kyiv area. There were numerous injuries when the entrance of a high-rise building was destroyed, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Russian military had targeted residential areas, hospitals, and sports facilities.
RTL/n-tv Trend Barometer by Forsa: Union: 28%, AfD: 24% (+1), SPD: 14%, Greens: 11%, Left Party: 11% (+1), BSW: 3% (–1), FDP: 3% (–1), Others: 6%. n-tv.de
- Approval for Chancellor Merz: Yes: 42% (–1), No: 51% (+2)
- Most important political issues: Middle East: 57%, War in Ukraine: 33%, Donald Trump/Tariff dispute: 20%
- Clear majority supports doubling defense spending. n-tv.de
Bild Sunday Trend by Insa: Union: 27.5% (+0.5), AfD: 23%, SPD: 16%, Greens: 11.5%, Left Party: 10% (–0.5), BSW: 4.5% (+0.5), FDP: 4%, Others: 3.5%. bild.de
Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil has announced an agreement on the federal budget. He said he is pleased to present his first budget on Tuesday and described the negotiations as tough. The ministries‘ spending requests had exceeded the current budget by 47 billion euros. He noted that he had to push back on many demands. The budget priorities include investments tied to a special infrastructure fund, structural reforms such as lowering energy costs, and also budget cuts. stern.de, faz.net
Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he wants to further improve Germany’s competitiveness. At the opening of the Day of German Industry in Berlin, he stated that the government had already launched initial measures. He referred to an investment program that is to be passed by parliament by mid-July but stressed this would only be a first step. faz.net, sueddeutsche.de
- BDI President Peter Leibinger said at the same event that the path out of recession is proving longer and harder than hoped. The BDI has revised its economic forecast downward for this year. In a prior radio interview, Leibinger urged the government to resolve structural problems in the economy, saying that in trying to make the country safer and better for everyone, a prison of regulations has been created. spiegel.de
Environment Minister Carsten Schneider emphasized that the move away from oil- and gas-powered heating systems in private households will continue. He said the transition to cleaner systems is underway and will not be reversed. While the CDU and SPD had agreed in their coalition deal to repeal Robert Habeck’s heating law, Schneider told Süddeutsche Zeitung that there will be no backtracking on substance — only adjustments in detail. He also stated that the phase-out of combustion engines is inevitable.
The CDU has rejected SPD proposals to increase health insurance contributions for higher earners. CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann said the coalition agreement does not cover such plans. Still, he acknowledged that it is the SPD’s right to raise these debates, just as it is the CDU’s right to reject them. pharmazeutische-zeitung.de
- The CDU Economic Council also spoke out against raising contributions for middle and higher earners.
More News
- Defense Minister Boris Pistorius wants to include conscription as an option in a new law. welt.de
- Chancellor Merz considers the return of conscription likely to enable an expansion of the Bundeswehr.
- Bavarian state premier Markus Söder again voiced support for deploying the Iron Dome air defense system across Germany. spiegel.de
- Sweden is purchasing German-made IRIS-T air defense systems for 810 million euros. hartpunkt.de
- Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer is open to exempting seasonal workers from the minimum wage. rnd.de
- The Minimum Wage Commission will announce its decision on a new legal minimum wage level this Friday. rp-online.de
- A study finds that millions of Bürgergeld recipients are having to skip meals. n-tv.de
In Thuringia, victim support groups are calling for a firm stance against the AfD. They urged the state government to use every legal means available to counter the AfD. Since the 2024 state election, the party has used its blocking minority to stall democratic processes in the state parliament. Right-wing violence is becoming widespread in the region, and hostility toward queer people is increasing. The AfD has become a key force for the far right in Thuringia. mdr.de
In other news from around Germany:
- Berlin: Data protection commissioner Meike Kamp is critical of proposed changes to the police law. rbb24.de
- Hamburg: The domestic intelligence service is monitoring the organizers of a pro-Palestine camp. spiegel.de
- Hesse: Prosecutors are calling for a fine for the German Football Association in the „Sommermärchen“ trial. faz.net
- Hesse: Frankfurt is launching a challenging new phase in its drug policy. fr.de
- Hesse: Economics Minister Kaweh Mansoori rejected responsibility in a dispute over flight paths. faz.net
- Lower Saxony: Environment Minister Christian Meyer is defending himself against criticism in a dispute over conservation funding. noz.de
- Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: police smartphones remain unusable after a cyberattack. tv.de
- Saxony: Former state secretary Sebastian Vogel will lead a new center focused on workforce development and good labor conditions. saechsische.de
- Saxony: In Dresden, Pussy Riot staged a protest against Putin’s Russia. mdr.de
- Saxony-Anhalt: municipal debt continues to rise. n-tv.de
- Schleswig-Holstein: only eight cannabis cultivation clubs have registered so far. kn-online.de
- Schleswig-Holstein: The state parliament is now dealing with Islam Week. n-tv.de
- Schleswig-Holstein: Education Minister Dorit Stenke has issued new rules severely limiting smartphone use in schools. kn-online.de
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte calls the five-percent target a „quantum leap.“ Spending five percent of each country’s GDP on defense in the future is, he said, ambitious, historic, and fundamental to securing the future. The new plan for defense investments will be crucial to ensuring effective deterrence and defense. rp-online.de, zdfheute.de
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized in a joint guest piece for the Financial Times their determination to defend freedom and security in Europe.
- A study warns of inadequate military buildup in Europe. handelsblatt.com
- Record levels: Long-distance rail services delayed like never before table.media/berlin
- EU Commission allows industrial electricity price handelsblatt.com
- Commission to announce minimum wage decision on Friday tagesspiegel.de
- Housing industry: Number of new homes likely to plummet cash-online.de
- Customers stealing more – billions lost to shoplifting stern.de
- Industry Day: Merz promotes gigafactories after talks with Nvidia table.media/china
More from Business, Tech and Science:
- Health authorities: €600 million for digitization – and the result is chaos sueddeutsche.de
- Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Police cell phones unusable since hacker attack n-tv.de
- BSI warns: Majority of German citizens far too careless n-tv.de
- Schleswig-Holstein’s Minister of Education Dorit Stenke imposes strict restrictions on smartphone use in schools kn-online.de
- One in ten medical students is enrolled abroad zeit.de
- Springer wants to double its company value with the help of AI. dwdl.de
- Opera “Lash” in Berlin: Tristan is no longer needed faz.net
- From Krabat to Medicus: open-air summer theater n-tv.de
- City Palace nearing completion: Final work on Berlin’s Humboldt Forum monopol-magazin.de
Identity, Integration, and Separate Duvets: In the latest episode of PlusFortyNine, we explore belonging, diversity, and the small quirks of everyday life. In conversation with Tuğba, we talk about identity, living between cultures, and how to stay grounded in a world that’s constantly accelerating. Also in this episode: current news from Germany, including Potsdam’s plans to promote diversity in the public sector and a renewed debate on smartphones in schools. In our culture segment, we take a closer look at Germany’s passion for grilling. And in this week’s Ask a German, we ask: Why do so many couples in Germany sleep under separate duvets? Tune in from 7 PM on JazzRadio 106.8 FM or listen in advance online.
- 1. FC Saarbrücken signs center forward Luca Wollschläger saarbruecker-zeitung.de
- Closing arguments in the “Summer Fairy Tale” trial: Prosecutor demands fine for DFB faz.net
- FIFA protocol activated: Incident involving national player Rüdiger at Club World Cup faz.net
- Handball: Dramatic draw between Germany and Spain kicker.de
- “I want him to win” – Boris Becker suddenly has high praise for Zverev n-tv.de
- Second German NBA champion: Isaiah Hartenstein – the anti-Nowitzki sportschau.de
Germany has more castles than any other country — over 25,000. That’s more than twice the number of McDonald’s restaurants in the entire United States (which has around 13,500). From hilltop ruins to fully preserved palaces, Germany’s landscape is dotted with fortresses that span over a thousand years of history. Some estimates even say you could visit a different castle every day for nearly 70 years.